Sensoriality, simplicity and naturalness: Chanel's new approach to luxury skincare

If fashion dictates trends, skincare is not far behind, especially when it has the name of Chanel on it. In the era of green, detox and multi-tasking, the cosmetic division of the Parisian brand emphasizes sensoriality going (as usual) to anticipate the industry trends with the launch of four new products that will positively shake up women's beauty routine.

Sublimage L'Extrait de Crème: the global treatment for hyperactive and hyper-connected women with stressed and weakened skin, who want “everything at once” but that also look for the comfort and the pleasantness of innovative textures and, obviously, a stand-alone product to save time;

D-Pollution Essentiel: the new on-the-go anti-pollution gesture is the first 3D anti-oxidant spray protection that acts also at a detox and de-stress level. A beauty must-have to always carry around in order to counteract daily the aggressions to which skins are subjected in big cities;

Hydra Beauty Micro Liquid Essence: also defined as "skin appetizer" is that further step that will conquer you both for its fresh energizing action and for the immediate result in terms of improved skin texture;

Hydra Beauty Masque de Nuit au Camelia: the night mask that will conquer all women thanks to its ability to recreate the sensory and visual effect of the dew on petals at dawn: for a fresh, rested and regenerated skin, like never before.

To tell us more about these new entries is no-one less then Armelle Souraud - Director of CHANEL Scientific Communication - who explains how, more and more, women demand effective and intuitive products that have a good component of natural ingredients, a sensorial texture and that give an (almost) immediate result.

Sublimage L'Extrait de crème: the feel good face cream that has everything covered

Born from the need to offer stressed women (with stressed skin) a complete treatment, which was easy and fast yet performing and sensorial, Sublimage L'Extrait de Crème performs an intensive, regenerating and protective action thanks to an unmatched concentration of Vanilla Planifolia, and thanks a new texture that speaks the language of contrasts: thick but fluid and light, rich but fresh, velvety but not greasy. Hence, surprising.

The idea of ublimage L'Extrait de Crème is that of a "feel good" cream that does everything. Is this a new approach to luxury skincare?

In my opinion yes, because this still falls within the expectations of nowadays women. The fact of having the opportunity to live life to the fullest, taking care of ourselves at the same time, is certainly a luxury, and having products that offer both the result and the "pleasure" saving on time is an approach that responds to a new need.

Is Sublimage L’Extrait de Crème a stand-alone product?

Sublimage L’Extrait de Crème was created for those women who have complicated lives and that live in a rush. It is a complete cream in all the aspects, but if desired it can also be used in combination with a serum (not exclusively Sublimage).

Result of years of research, Sublimage L'Extrait de Crème contains for the first time all the active fractions of Vanilla Planifolia for a global action on all the signs of the time:

the leaves, rich in stem cells, repair the skin barrier through bio-mimicry;

the extract of flowers and the oil reinforce the natural defenses;

the green pods, rich in Planifolia épheemères molecules, stimulate the regeneration and, in combination with Planiflolia PFA improve the longevity, bioavailability and activity of vital factors, while combined with the stem cells strengthen the skin barrier;

the green fruits, rich in concentrated water of vanilla, protect the extracellular matrix;

finally, the ripe fruits (Planiflolia PFA) intensively regenerate.

D-Pollution Essentiel: the global anti-pollution protection

Just a spray is enough to protect skin from urban aggressions. With D-Pollution Essentiel, Chanel gives life to a global anti-pollution gesture that, thanks to the ultra-thin texture in brume and the effortless application, offers a defense system in three dimensions (3D) that:

With D-Pollution Essentiel we are talking about specific treatment, a three-dimensional multi-protection that acts just like a shield protecting the skin from external aggressions but that also performs a detoxifying and soothing action.

Three actions, a product. Detox, Destress and Defense. Is that why you call it a 3D protection? Or is it because it creates a three-dimensional protection around the face?

Indeed it is for both reasons, the three actions in fact create this defensive mesh that wraps the skin.

In formulating D-Pollution Essentiel you have selected 5 natural active ingredients, also going to prefer a polysaccharide mesh to a synthetic polymer. Is maintaining a high level of natural ingredients an easy task?

Nature is a source of unique inspiration and offers us an infinity of ingredients characterized both by a high affinity with the skin and by an unparalleled effectiveness. With D-Pollution Essentiel, the idea was to find the most appropriate assets to perform certain actions, maintaining performance as a priority.

Is naturalness something the costumers are requesting or you really see the potential in it?

Chanel has always worked a lot on naturalness, is a bit the legacy of the fragrance world that we then transposed into skincare and treatments by analyzing the plants to identify those molecules that have a real potential for beauty and health.

You really are precursors! Yet, chemistry is an important factor in the development of an effective product. Is there a right balance between natural and chemical ingredients?

Our goal is precisely to find the balance between what nature can give us, and therefore maximum tolerability and, at the same time also the best of technology, to guarantee women results, performance and maximum comfort.

D-Pollution Essentiel has inside its formula two of your key star ingredients: the Silver Needle White tea of a Solution 10 and the Blue Ginger PFA of the Hydra Beauty line. Does this mist arises therefore from your know-how?

That's right. It was very interesting to complete the broad-spectrum anti-oxidant action of Blue Ginger PFA with the soothing action of Silver Needle White Tea. It is an unprecedented complementarity that fights oxidative stress to the fullest.

What would be the next step, maybe a 4D protection adding an SPF 50?

This is a good idea, we will challenge the Laboratory! For the moment, the Essentiel UV line can be used and, depending on the situation, customize the choice of protection.

Characterized by revolutionary formulas (see microfluidics) and textures that create addiction once applied, Chanel Hydra Beauty line is, from the day of its launch, a true best seller that today is enriched by two new boosters: the Hydra Beauty Micro Liquid Essence and the Hydra Beauty Masque de Nuit au Camélia.

Hydra Beauty Micro Liquid Essence

The new Hydra Beauty liquid treatment, protected by 5 patents, brings microfluidic technology to the most demanding skin, banning alcohol and surfactants and focusing on the sensoriality of a gel solution enriched with fine microspheres of fresh camellia cells that, as come in contact with the skin, release their essential nutrients - vitamins, carbohydrates, amino acids and lipids - and their moisturizing and energizing virtues.

Where does this new step fit into the Hydra Beauty routine?

Before the serum and after the cleansing routine. Hydra Beauty Micro Liquid Essence literally drenches the skin to better prepare it to receive the following treatments.

Can you explain the concept of "essence" and the reason why it is such an important step in the cosmetic routine?

Hydra Beauty Micro Liquid Essence acts on the grain and texture of the skin but, from the sensorial point of view, also has an energizing and refreshing action. It is a gesture that brings comfort to a new level thanks to the action of microspheres.

Do you think that women will accept a new step or that it will take time for them to get used?

What women are looking for are always fresh products and easy gestures that bring benefits but do not take too much of their time. They look for effortlessness and speed, but also for the result, therefore even if little by little, the essences are already becoming part of our beauty routine.

Just to clarify the concept of essence; can Hydra Beauty Micro Liquid Essence be used alone?

No, the risk is not to reach the right level of comfort, we must always combine it with a subsequent moisturizing step.

Hydra Beauty Masque de Nuit au Camelia

The first hydrating oxygenating mask that, inspired by the dew pearls that cover the camellia petals in the morning, recreates the feeling of wellbeing and freshness, carrying out the detoxifying and oxygenating effect of this mechanism. Thanks to the highest concentration of camellia flowers of all the Hydra Beauty range, and therefore of zinc, copper and magnesium, the Masque de Nuit au Camelia stimulates the oxygenation mechanisms of cells by capturing the oxygen that circulates in the blood vessels. The evidence of effectiveness? The formation of fine drops of water, poetic sign that the skin is receiving the active ingredients.

How did you come up with the idea of mask that reproduced the micro-pearls of dew and that carried out its detoxifying and re-oxygenating functions?

The source of inspiration is very strong and this is the beauty of being inspired by nature. We wanted a treatment that would restore freshness and what could be more perfect than a dew-covered petal? Observing the plants and their behavior has helped us to replicate this phyto-mechanism at a skincare level, adding to the pleasant sensation of dew droplets a moisturizing and oxygenating action. Hydra Beauty Masque de Nuit au Camelia is a sensorial projection with unpublished results.

How do you use it?

Hydra Beauty Masque de Nuit au Camelia can be applied at the end of the beauty routine, replacing or integrating the cream.

The future of skincare according to Chanel

With these last launches you have covered all the macro-trends that are emerging in the skincare scene: multi-tasking, detox, green ... What will be the next step?

It's a good question but unfortunately I can not reveal too much. What I can say is that there are two universes that are increasingly under the spotlight: one is that of beauty being more and more linked to that of well-being, and then that of the customization of both products and routine in order to create a tailor-made world. Obviously, naturalness will remain a priority, women expect it.